ALBUM REVIEW: Kyle Park "Make Or Break Me"

By BJ Jones
With top-notch production and just the right amount of Red Dirt swagger, Kyle Park bursts back onto the country music scene following a hit album and two successful EPs - including one that landed him in the top 5 of iTunes country chart. That's no easy feat for most artists, but it's just another day at the studio for Kyle Park, who is daring country music fans to "Make Or Break Me" in his new album of the same name.
With 15 songs that clock in at just under an hour, the album begins with the title track "Make Or Break Me," which deserves to be another #1 country chart single for Kyle Park. The radio-ready song finds Park's strong country voice in great form, and the musicianship of the instrumentalists assembled for the album is first class, including well known names in country music, such as Texas legend Lloyd Maines and Park's manager John Michael Whitby on piano. The song "Make Or Break Me" is an upbeat love song that offers inspiring lyrics and will appeal equally to both young male and female demographic groups.

Park's album "Anywhere In Texas" (click here to read review) proved that Kyle Park was a force to be reckoned with in Texas country music, and the two previously mentioned EPs  - Spring 2010 EP (click here to read review) and Fall 2010 EP (click here to read review) - showed that Park was also destined for success in the mainstream country music marketplace. The album "Make Or Break Me" contains 9 remixed songs from the Spring and Fall EPs along with six new songs.

The cut "Mistakes I'll Regret" showcases the more reflective side of Kyle Park. Again, the sterling production enhances Park's carefully nuanced vocal performance. However, the endearing Park "swagger" returns on the terrific "I Love Her For A Million Reasons," which has mainstream country radio potential.

Watching the trajectory of his career and the music produced will cause listeners to realize that Kyle Park has managed to hone both his rich country voice and songwriting skill (including smart song choices). In doing so, the new music will allow listeners to immediately recognize the artist's distinctive sound even more easily than his very accomplished previous album "Anywhere In Texas."

The dark "Brokenhearted" is the album's biggest surprise, but Kyle Park manages to impress with the track that forthrightly addresses the pain of losing the woman you love. But the best track by a mile is the the catchy "Leavin' Stephenville," which will have radio program managers smiling and offers all the ingredients of a classic country song.

"What You'll Never Know" is a heartfelt country track with superb instrumentation. Other highlights include the addictive (and immensely hummable) "All Night" and the high energy cut "The Heart Of You."

The album "Make Or Break Me" is a carefully crafted and cleverly produced album that could amaze many new listeners and will more than please Kyle Park's current fans. On the album cover, Kyle Park looks at the listener demanding: "make or break me." Country music fans would be advised to "make" him happy by jumping on the Kyle Park bandwagon by purchasing the album and requesting his songs on country radio.  CountryChart.com